U.P. man’s death probed

November 17, 2012

MARQUETTE - Marquette police are still attempting to piece together the events that led to the death of a Marquette man more than two months ago.

The body of Shawn Michael Dollar, 34, was found Sept. 14 - six days after he was last seen - in an abandoned building in downtown Marquette.

"We're still interviewing people and trying to put together the best case that we can to answer the question of what caused his death," said Marquette Police Detective Capt. Gordon Warchock.

Dollar - who was found on the bottom floor of an empty building at 231 W. Washington St. - died of trauma to the body, according to police.

Warchock said police are continuing their investigation and "still have some things we're waiting on, evidence-wise."

Police have received a full report on Dollar's death - including toxicology results - from the medical examiner, but Warchock would not elaborate on the report.

In early October, he said police were attempting to determine if Dollar's death was accidental or a homicide.

Police previously said that Dollar likely died at some point during the night of Sept. 8 or the early morning hours of Sept. 9. The death has been deemed suspicious.

Individuals who were in the area that night, as well as some of Dollar's acquaintances who weren't with him on the night of Sept. 8, have been interviewed by police. Warchock said he didn't know when the investigation would wrap up, exactly.

"No I don't," he said. "I can't put a date on it."

The abandoned building where police found Dollar's body was most recently home to the 231 House of Muses, an alternative music venue. A fire in January of 2007 burned out the interior of the building, which has been vacant since.